That little red Elf on the shelf can be a pain in the neck for parents during the festive season.
Amidst all the hustle and bustle of the holidays—shopping, cluttering, and storing presents—the last thing burnout parents want to do is continue the tradition of hiding a mischievous watcher (who often makes a mess or leaves unwrapped gifts) around the house for The first 24 days of December.
Sweet-faced Snoop, a 10-inch doll that each family assigns a special name, sits at home and watches over the kids, making sure they behave before the big boy comes down the chimney.Â
But in reality, mums and dads are secretly doing most of the little guy’s legwork and have deemed the little troublemaker “annoying” and “stressful”.
“It’s a pain in the butt,” moans Beryl Goldblatt, a single mother of nine-year-old daughter Blair, to The Post.
“It’s very stressful because I’m tired when I get home, do my nightly routine to put my daughter to bed and then I’ve sacrificed my relaxation time figuring out what this elf is going to do tonight and how you’re going to clean up the mess in the morning,” the Long Island native lamented.
“The other day, she asked if our elf, Snowflake, would bring her Dunkin Donuts before she got on the school bus at 6:30 in the morning,” continued Goldblatt, a retail visual design artist. “That would require me to wake up at 5:30 in the morning to get the donut — that’s too much.”
And she is not alone.
Thanks to platforms like TikTok and Instagram — where “overachieving” parents tend to brag about the extravagant goodies their family elf left their kids, like a drone or gift cards to Starbucks and Sephora — Elf fashion on the Shelf, too , it has become a who-did-it-better contest for some.Â
Even the creators of The Elf on a Raft, 50-year-old twins Chanda Bell and Christa Pitts, understand why it can be frustrating, but recommend parents keep it simple.
“People who get it, get it,” Bell, founder and co-CEO of Lumistella Co., maker of The Elf on the Shelf, told The Post. “And the people who don’t, not everyone is going to like everything.”
She and Pitts launched The Elf on the Shelf brand, a cute concept originally created by their mother, Carol Aebersold, in September 2005 to much fanfare. Over 28 million Scout Elves, Elf Pets and Elf Mates have been sold globally since launch.
“The elf flies back and forth [from your home] to the North Pole and hides in a new space every night, said Bell, a married mother of two from Georgia, adding that her now-grown children, Taylor and Kendall, still fondly remember the joy of waking up with their elf. silly stunts – like hiding in their fridge.
“It doesn’t have to be that complicated.”
Ultimately, worthwhile experiences are what Pitts and Bell hope to create for The Elf of the Shelf fans worldwide.
“I find it so rewarding that others celebrate the tradition with the same magic, wonder and spirit of the season that we did when we were little,” Pitts told The Post. “We like to lean into the joy of the season.â€
To add to the joy and lighten the burden on parents this holiday, she and Bell have released two new sets, The Official Ultimate Elf Ideas 24-Day Pack and The Elf Ideas Super Set, with ready-made backdrops. and props, where little elves can hide and surprise children every morning.
“This is a full season of family fun for the 24 days leading up to Christmas at a cost of about $1.25 a day,” Pitts said.
But Bell said the best advice is to “keep the tradition simple. It’s all about what works for your family.”
Manhattan mom Liz Everett said not only does it work for her family, it’s become sacred.
“Our elf, Elsie, is part of our family,” said Everett, 36, a married mother of two, Ethan, 11, and Harper, 8.
“My favorite thing to hear every morning is, ‘Where’s Elsie?'” Where’s Elsie, added the millennial, a technology recruiter and lifestyle content creator. of Elf on the Shelf, so we’re enjoying every second of it while we can.
She and her husband Tim, freshmen in New York from Texas, started this year’s tradition with Elsie sneaking a taste of Mom’s Ghirardelli chocolates. The next day, the lady elf created a hot cocoa station for Everett to enjoy with breakfast.Â
“It gives Tim and I the opportunity to be creative and connect with our kids in a fun way,” said Everett, who spends less than 20 minutes and $10 conceptualizing and curating the pop-ups. Elsie’s Daily.
“It might take a while,” she admitted. “But this intentional time to bond with each other is worth it.”
Elf on the Shelf tips and tricks for a fun party
- Hop on the Shoe-Shoe Train.: Line up several shoes from heel to toe, place your family elf in the first shoe—making it the “conductor”—and place a loose trinket or wrapped candy inside each remaining shoe.
- Boards are not boring: Have your elf use a dry erase board to leave fun and festive messages for the kids every morning.
- Use items around the house: Use your kids’ toys, kitchen items, and more to create a cute and easy setup for your elf.
- Move the elf every night after the kids go to bed: This prevents you from waking up early every morning and rushing to get up. And remember: the elf just needs to move, no need to make it elaborate! Simple things are just as fun and magical. No matter what, your kids will love it.
- Ignite your heart: If your elf has a penchant for silly outfits, use makeup or a skin-safe marker to draw a gloved mustache on dad.
- Quite an inspiring app: The Scout Elf Ideas app offers daily pictures, ideas and reminders to help moms and dads get inspired during the holidays.
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Image Source : nypost.com